Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 1, 2026

Visualization of Intensity Levels to Reduce the Gap Between Self-Reported and Directly Measured Physical Activity
Published on: March 7, 2019
A pilot study of acceptance and commitment therapy for promotion of physical activity
Meghan L Butryn1, Evan Forman, Kimberly Hoffman
1Department of Psychology, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
Background:
Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) appears to have some promise as a method of promoting physical activity.
Method:
This pilot study evaluated the short-term effectiveness of a brief, physical-activity-focused ACT intervention. Young adult, female participants were randomly assigned to an Education (n=19) or ACT (n=35) intervention. Both interventions consisted of 2, 2-hour group sessions. ACT sessions taught skills for mindfulness, values clarification, and willingness to experience distress in the service of behavior change.
Results:
Of the intervention completers, ACT participants increased their level of physical activity significantly more than Education participants.
Conclusions:
The results indicate that ACT approaches have the potential to promote short-term increases in physical activity.
Related Concept Videos
Stress Prevention and Stress Management Techniques VI
Motivation and Self-Determination
Motivation, the driving force behind behavior, plays a pivotal role at every stage of the change process. The research...
Models of Health Promotion and Illness Prevention I
The health belief model (HBM) attempts to predict health-related behavior in specific belief patterns. According to the HBM, a person's...
Models of Health Promotion and Illness Prevention II
The agent-host-environment model states that disease results from...